First drive: 2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith & Ghost at Yas Marina Abu Dhabi

When our editor asked me if I wanted to attend a Roll Royce drive event, I didn’t think twice. And I didn’t even bother to ask which Rolls Royce I was getting to drive. Turns out the event was to introduce us to the newest member of the Rolls Royce family, the Wraith.

Held at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, they commenced the event with a presentation on the Wraith, emphasising how they preserved the Rolls Royce “DNA” in its styling. It was mainly an event for VIP customers, so the topic quickly switched to the track segment. We were each offered a run of three laps around the track, which included some sharp corners followed by a high-speed straight.

There were three Ghosts and three Wraiths waiting for us. We choose to test the Ghost first and I believe that the decision was right as we could better appreciate the changes made on the new Wraith.

The first impression when we hopped into the Ghost was good, with a fancy interior integrating classy bits and soft touches all around. Rolls Royce even kept the old-school instrument cluster, but without a tachometer. Instead, it shows the “power reserve” percentage of the engine which touches zero when the car is floored. They also added an LCD screen below it, to display various settings and readings.

As we took it for a drive, we found out the Ghost to be very well-insulated and smooth. While stable around the corners, the driver will wish for a little less body roll, while the passenger would be relaxing. On wide-open throttle, the Ghost takes off like a beast, but the roar of the 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12 is muted inside the cabin. As it picked up to speeds over 160 kph, we hardly noticed it.

Then our turn came to try out the Wraith. I paused for a second to take another look at the “suicide” doors. The last time I saw similar doors was during my childhood days on my grandfather’s Fiat 1100. The interior of the Wraith is pretty much similar to the Ghost. Most 2-door coupes usually have cramped rear seats, but not the Wraith. Rear seats can accommodate adults without making them whine about leg room. The roof liner of the Wraith has a unique starry-like lighting. Apart from these minor changes, the Wraith feels similar to the Ghost inside.

During our drive time, we discovered the sharper edge in the way it drove. The wheelbase being shorter and car being lighter, we felt it handled better. The Wraith gets the same engine as its four-door sibling, but tweaked up to 624 hp. When we hit the straight, tapping the gas makes the engine roar louder than the completely-silenced Ghost. Rolls-Royce has noticeably made their coupe the more enthusiastic car.

Rolls Royce claims their cars pass through 60 pairs of hands before it reaches customers. And their exceptional workmanship shows in the fit and finish of the car. Being a car with over a million Dirhams price tag, we just played it easy around the track. This was a rare opportunity, and going around corners in comfort in a Rolls Royce on a track is unforgettable.